Protein recognized by an antibody that specifically binds an epitope that is specifically bound by monoclonal antibody 5c8.

ABSTRACT

This invention provides a protein free of cell membranes and other cellular components, said protein being specifically recognized by an antibody that specifically binds an epitope that is specifically bound by monoclonal antibody 5c8 produced by the hybridoma having ATCC Accession No. HB 10916. This invention further provides a protein that is a fragment of a protein specifically recognized by monoclonal antibody 5c8 produced by the hybridoma having ATCC Accession No. HB 10916, wherein said fragment is free of cell membranes and other cellular components and comprises an epitope that is specifically bound by monoclonal antibody 5c8 produced by the hybridoma having ATCC Accession No. HB 10916. This invention also provides a protein free of cell membranes and other cellular components, said protein consisting essentially of an epitope that is specifically bound by monoclonal antibody 5c8 produced by the hybridoma having ATCC Accession No. HB 10916.

This application is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 09/291,667, filedApr. 14, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,455,044 B1, which is a continuationof U.S. Ser. No. 08/484,137, filed Jun. 7, 1995; now U.S. Pat. No.6,451,310 B1, which is a divisional of U.S. Ser. No. 07/792,728, filedNov. 15, 1991, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,474,771, the contents of each ofwhich are hereby incorporated by reference into the present application.

The invention described herein was made in the course of work undergrant Nos. PO1-AI-26886, RO-1-AI-14969 and Immunology Training GrantAI-07132 from the National Institutes of Health. The United Statesgovernment therefore has certain rights in this invention.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Throughout this application, various publications are referenced byArabic numerals within parenthesis. Full citations for thesepublications may be found at the end of the specification, immediatelypreceding the claims. The disclosures of these publications are herebyincorporated by reference into this application in order to more fulldescribe the state of the art as to one skilled therein as of the dateof the invention described and claimed herein.

In a contact-dependent process termed “T cell helper function,” CD4⁺ Tlymphocytes direct the activation and differentiation of B lymphocytesand thereby regulate the humoral immune response by modulating thespecificity, secretion and isotype-encoded functions of antibodymolecules (1-8). The T cell surface molecules that mediate thecontact-dependent elements of T cell helper function are not yet fullyknown (9).

The process by which T cells help B cells to differentiate has beendivided into two distinct phases: the inductive and effector phases(10,11). In the inductive phase, resting T cells contact antigen-primedB cells and this association allows clonotypic T cell receptor (TCR)-CD4complexes to interact with Ia/Ag complexes on B cells (5, 12-19).TCR/CD4 recognition of Ia/Ag results in the formation of stable T-Bcognate pairs and bidirectional T and B cell activation (20-26). In theeffector phase, activated T cells drive B cell differentiation bysecreting lymphokines (27-30) and by contact-dependent stimuli(24,31-38), both of which are required for T cells to drive small,resting B cells to terminally differentiate into Ig secreting cells (31,39-42).

Although the inductive phase of T cell help is Ag-dependent andMHC-restricted (5, 12-18, 40), the effector phase of T cell helperfunction can be Ag-independent and MHC-nonrestricted (31, 34, 36, 40,43-50). An additional contrasting feature is that the inductive phase ofT cell help often requires CD4 molecules and is inhibited by anti-CD4mAb (19), whereas helper effector function does not require CD4molecules (51) and is not inhibited by anti-CD4 mAbs (33, 34, 36, 49).The nonspecific helper effector function is believed to be focused onspecific B cell targets by the localized nature of the T-B cellinteractions with antigen specific, cognate pairs (25, 26, 52).

Although terminal B cell differentiation requires both contact- andlymphokine-mediated stimuli from T cells, intermediate stages of B celldifferentiation can be induced by activated T cell surfaces in theabsence of secreted factors (32, 33, 53-56). These intermediate effectson B cells include induction of surface CD23 expression (32, 35, 57),enzymes associated with cell cycle progression (37) and responsivenessto lymphokines (24, 37, 49, 54-56). Although the activation-induced Tcell surface molecules that direct B cell activation have not beenpreviously identified, functional studies have characterized somefeatures of their induction and biochemistry. First, T cells acquire theability to stimulate B cells 4-8 h following activation (38, 49).Second, the B cell stimulatory activity associated with the surfaces ofactivated T cells is preserved on paraformaldehyde fixed cells (24, 32,37, 49, 56) and on purified membrane fragments (33, 53-55). Third, the Bcell stimulatory activity is sensitive to protease treatment (24, 53,54). Fourth, the process of acquiring these surface active structuresfollowing T cell activation is inhibited by cyclohexamide (49, 54).Although these studies strongly suggest the existence ofactivation-induced T cell surface proteins that deliver contactdependent stimuli to B cells, the molecular identities of suchstructures have not previously been described.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention provides a monoclonal antibody which specificallyrecognizes and forms a complex with T-B cell activating molecule (T-BAM)(now also known as CD40 ligand) a protein located on the surface ofactivated T cells and thereby inhibits T cell activation of B cells.This invention also provides the monoclonal antibody 5c8 (ATCC AccessionNo. HB 10916).

This invention provides a human CD4⁻ T cell leukemia cell linedesignated D1.1 (ATCC Accession No. CRL 10915) capable of constitutivelyproviding contact-dependent helper function to B cells. This inventionalso provides an isolated protein from the surface of activated T cells,wherein the protein is necessary for T cell activation of B cells. Thisinvention further provides an isolated, soluble protein from the surfaceof activated T cells, wherein the protein is necessary for T cellactivation of B cells.

Monoclonal antibody 5c8 and a human CD4− T-cell line, designated, D1.1have been deposited with the American Type Culture Collection, 10801University Blvd., Manassas, Va. 20110-2209, U.S.A., pursuant to theprovisions of the Budapest Treaty on the International Recognition ofthe Microorganism Deposit for the Purposes of Patent Procedure and havebeen accorded ATCC Nos. HB 10916 and CRL 10915, respectively.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIGS. 1A-H. Cell surface phenotype of CD4− Jurkat D1.1. Shown arefluorescence histogram (FACS) analyses of CD4− Jurkat D1.1 and CD4+Jurkat B2.7. The Y axis represents number of cells and the X axisrepresents relative fluorescence intensity.

FIG. 1A. A fluorescence histogram (FACS) analysis of CD4+ Jurkat B2.7 isshown. This figure is a “control” which represents the backgroundstaining in the absence of added primary mAb.

FIG. 1B. A fluorescence histogram (FACS) analysis of CD4− Jurkat D1.1 isshown. This figure is a “control” which represents the backgroundstaining in the absence of added primary mAb.

FIG. 1C. Fluorescence histogram (FACS) analysis of CD4+ Jurkat B2.7stained with mAb OKT3 (anti-CD3).

FIG. 1D. Fluorescence histogram (FACS) analysis of CD4− Jurkat D1.1stained with mAb OKT3 (anti-CD3).

FIG. 1E. Fluorescence histogram (FACS) analysis of CD4+ Jurkat B2.7stained with mAb OKT4 (anti-CD4).

FIG. 1F. Fluorescence histogram (FACS) analysis of CD4− Jurkat D1.1stained with mAb OKT4 (anti-CD4).

FIG. 1G. Fluorescence histogram (FACS) analysis of CD4+ Jurkat B2.7stained with mAb W6/32 (anti-MHC I).

FIG. 1H. Fluorescence histogram (FACS) analysis of CD4− Jurkat D1.1stained with mAb W6/32 (anti-MHC I).

FIGS. 2A-F. Jurkat D1.1 induces CD23 expression on resting Blymphocytes.

Shown are two-color FACS analyses of adherence depleted, high density Bcells after 24 h of culture alone (media) or with CD4− Jurkat (D1.1) orCD4+ Jurkat (B2.7) by using anti-IgM-FITC or anti-CD20 (Leu-16)-FITC onthe x axis and anti-CD23-PE on the y-axis (Becton-Dickinson).

The numbers shown in the upper right hand corner of each of thehistograms in FIGS. 2A-F represents the percentage of all gated cellsthat express both molecules. In the experiment shown, single color FACSshowed the population of small, high density B cells to be 2%CD3(OKT3)+, 84% IgM+, 84% CR2(HB-5)+, and 87% CD20(Leu-16)+.

FIG. 2A. Two-color FACS analysis of adherence depleted, high density Bcells after 24 h of culture alone (media) by using anti-IgM-FITC on thex axis and anti-CD23-PE on the y-axis.

FIG. 2B. Two-color FACS analysis of adherence depleted, high density Bcells after 24 h of culture alone (media) by using anti-CD20(Leu-16)-FITC on the x axis and anti-CD23-PE on the y-axis.

FIG. 2C. Two-color FACS analysis of adherence depleted, high density Bcells after 24 h of culture with CD4+ Jurkat (B2.7) by usinganti-IgM-FITC on the x axis and anti-CD23-PE on the y-axis. Thepopulation of B cells cultured with Jurkat B2.7 expressed CD23 on 16% ofIgM+ cells.

FIG. 2D. Two-color FACS analysis of adherence depleted, high density Bcells after 24 h of culture with CD4+ Jurkat (B2.7) by using anti-CD20(Leu-16)-FITC on the x axis and anti-CD23-PE on the y-axis. Thepopulation of B cells cultured with Jurkat B2.7 expressed CD23 on 16% ofCD20+ cells.

FIG. 2E. Two-color FACS analysis of adherence depleted, high density Bcells after 24 h of culture with CD4− Jurkat (D1.1) by usinganti-IgM-FITC on the x axis and anti-CD23-PE on the y-axis. Thepopulation of B cells cultured with Jurkat D1.1 expressed CD23 on 66% ofIgM+ cells.

FIG. 2F. Two-color FACS analysis of adherence depleted, high density Bcells after 24 h of culture with CD4− Jurkat (D1.1) by using anti-CD20(Leu-16)-FITC on the x axis and anti-CD23-PE on the y-axis. Thepopulation of B cells cultured with Jurkat D1.1 expressed CD23 on 69% ofCD20+ cells.

FIGS. 3A-B. Dose response of D1.1-induced CD23 expression.

FIG. 3A. Shown are the percentage of IgM⁺ cells that express CD23 after24 h culture with varying ratios of D1.1 or B2.7 cells or cellsupernatants. Experimental conditions and two-color FACS analysis wereas described for FIGS. 2A-2F except that the ratio of Jurkats added to2×10⁵ B cells was varied as shown. The background level (B cells alone)of CD23 expression of IgM⁺ cells was 12%. The B cell population was 65%IgM⁺ in this experiment.

FIG. 3B. Supernatants were obtained 48 h after 1×10⁺ D1.1 or B2.7 cellswere cultured in 1 ml of Iscove's modified Dulbecco medium/10% FCS andwere passed through 0.2-μm filters before addition to the B cells.

FIGS. 4A-E. Jurkat D1.1 induces B cell proliferation in the presence ofPHA.

FIG. 4A. Shown is [³H] thymidine uptake of B cells cultured withmitocycin-C-treated Jurkat cells in the presence of the indicatedcombinations of rIL-2 (25 U/ml), rIL-4 (25 U/ml), or PHA (5 μg/ml).Error bars represent standard deviation of the means of triplicatecultures.

FIG. 4B. Controls for the experiment shown in FIG. 4A.

FIGS. 5A-C. Jurkat D1.1 induces B cell differentiation into Ig secretingcells.

E− cells are E rosette-depleted, adherence-depleted, high densityPercoll population that is predominantly B cells. E+ cells are Erosette-positive, resting T cells treated with mitomycin-C. Measurementof Ig was performed by quantitative sandwich ELISA and error barsrepresent calculated standard deviation based on standard curves. Erosettes were performed with neuraminidase-treated sheep erythrocytes.

FIG. 5A. IgM in supernatants from the same experiments as in FIG. 5B.FIG. 5A-2 shows controls for the experiment shown in FIG. 5A-1.

FIG. 5B. Number of plaque-forming colonies per 10⁶ B cells induced byindicated ratios of Jurkat D1.1 or B2.7 to B cells in the presence ofabsence of PWM. FIG. 5B-2 shows controls for the experiment shown inFIG. 5B-1.

FIG. 5C. IgG in supernatants from the same experiments as in FIG. 5B.FIG. 5C-2 shows controls for the experiment shown in FIG. 5C-1.

FIGS. 6A-E. rIL-4 but not D1.1 increased B cell sIgM expression.

Shown are fluorescence histogram (FACS) analyses resulting fromexperiments similar to those in FIGS. 3A-B. The median channelfluorescence of IgM is shown on the right column.

FIG. 6A. FACS analysis of B cells cultured with Jurkat B2.7.

FIG. 6B. FACS analysis of B cells cultured with Jurkat D1.1.

FIG. 6C. FACS analysis of B cells cultured with Jurkat rIL-2. Theconcentration of rIL-4 is 50 U/ml.

FIG. 6D. FACS analysis of B cells cultured with rIL-4. The concentrationof rIL-4 is 50 U/ml.

FIG. 6E. FACS analysis of B cells cultured with rIL-4+anti-IL4. Theconcentration of anti-IL-4 shown is 1.25 μg/ml and the concentration ofrIL-4 is 50 U/ml.

FIGS. 7A-L. Binding of mAb 5c8 to Jurkat D1.1 cells.

Shown are fluorescence histogram (FACS) analyses of CD4− Jurkat D1.1 andCD4+ Jurkat B2.7 cells. The Y axis represents number of cells and the Xaxis represents relative fluorescence intensity. FITC represents thebackground staining of an isotype matched control mAb.

FIG. 7A. A fluorescence histogram (FACS) analysis of CD4− Jurkat D1.1cells.

FIG. 7B. A fluorescence histogram (FACS) analysis of CD4+ Jurkat B2.7cells. FITC represents the background staining of an isotype matchedcontrol mAb.

FIG. 7C. A fluorescence histogram (FACS) analysis of CD4− Jurkat D1.1cells stained with mAb OKT3(anti-CD3).

FIG. 7D. A fluorescence histogram (FACS) analysis of CD4+ Jurkat B2.7cells stained with mAb OKT3(anti-CD3).

FIG. 7E. A fluorescence histogram (FACS) analysis of CD4− Jurkat D1.1cells stained with mAb OKT4(anti-CD4).

FIG. 7F. A fluorescence histogram (FACS) analysis of CD4+ Jurkat B2.7cells stained with mAb OKT4(anti-CD4).

FIG. 7G. A fluorescence histogram (FACS) analysis of CD4− Jurkat D1.1cells stained with mAb OKT8(anti-CD8).

FIG. 7H. A fluorescence histogram (FACS) analysis of CD4+ Jurkat B2.7cells stained with mAb OKT8(anti-CD8).

FIG. 7I. A fluorescence histogram (FACS) analysis of CD4− Jurkat D1.1cells stained with mAb W6/32(anti-MHC I).

FIG. 7J. A fluorescence histogram (FACS) analysis of CD4+ Jurkat B2.7cells stained with mAb W6/32(anti-MHC I).

FIG. 7K. A fluorescence histogram (FACS) analysis of CD4− Jurkat D1.1cells stained with mAb 5c8.

FIG. 7L. A fluorescence histogram (FACS) analysis of CD4+ Jurkat B2.7cells stained with mAb 5c8.

FIGS. 8A-E. Monoclonal antibody 5c8 inhibits Jurkat D1.1 induced CD23expression by B Lymphocytes.

Shown are two color FACS analyses of adherence depleted, high density Bcells after 24 h of culture using anti-IgM-FITC (the X axis) andanti-CD23-PE (on the Y axis).

The number in the upper right hand corner of the FACS tracingsrepresents the percentage of IgM⁺ cells that expressed CD23.

FIG. 8A. Two color FACS analyses of adherence depleted, high density Bcells after 24 h of culture alone.

FIG. 8B. Two color FACS analyses of adherence depleted, high density Bcells after 24 h of culture with the B2.7 Jurkat clones.

FIG. 8C. Two color FACS analyses of adherence depleted, high density Bcells after 24 h of culture with the D1.1 Jurkat clones.

FIG. 8D. Two color FACS analyses of adherence depleted, high density Bcells after 24 h of culture with the D1.1 Jurkat clones in the presenceof mAb 5c8. The mAb 5c8 was present at a 1:200 dilution of hybridomasupernatant.

FIG. 8E. Two color FACS analyses of adherence depleted, high density Bcells after 24 h of culture with the D1.1 Jurkat clones in the presenceof W6/32. The mAb W6/32 was present at 1 μg/ml. The murine IgG2a mAbW6/32 recognizes a monomorphic determinant on Class I MHC molecules.

FIGS. 9A-B. SDS/PAGE analysis of surface proteins immunoprecipitated bymAb 5c8 and control mAbs.

FIG. 9A. Shown are autoradiograms of immunoprecipitates with mAb 5c8 orcontrol mAbs from cells lysates of surface iodinated Jurkat D1.1 cellsthat were separated on 12.5% polyacrylamide in the presence (reduced, R)or absence (non-reduced, NR) of 2-ME (2-mercaptoethanol). mAbs shown areanti-CD28 (KOLT-4) and anti-MHC Class I (W6/32). MW markers representthe migration of pre-labelled standards. NMS: normal mouse serum.

FIG. 9B. Same as FIG. 9A except that Jurkat B2.7 cells were used inplace of Jurkat D1.1 cells.

FIGS. 10A-L. Effects of T cell activation and metabolic inhibitors onthe expression of 5c8 antigen on activated T cells.

FIG. 10A. FACS histogram of resting T cells using FITC. FITC representsa control for background staining.

FIG. 10B. FACS histogram of resting T cells using mAb 5c8.

FIG. 10C. FACS histogram of resting T cells using anti-CD69.

FIG. 10D. FACS histogram of activated T cells using FITC. T cells wereactivated by PMA (10 ng/ml) and PHA (10 μg/ml) for 5 h. FITC representsa control for background staining.

FIG. 10E. FACS histogram of activated T cells using mAb 5c8. T cellswere activated by PMA (10 ng/ml) and PHA (10 μg/ml) for 5 h.

FIG. 10F. FACS histogram of activated T cells using anti-CD69. T cellswere activated by PMA (10 ng/ml) and PHA (10 μg/ml) for 5 h.

FIG. 10G. FACS histogram of activated T cells using FITC. T cells wereactivated by PMA (10 ng/ml) and PHA (10 μg/ml) for 5 h performed in thepresence of actinomycin D (10 μM). FITC represents a control forbackground staining.

FIG. 10H. FACS histogram of activated T cells using mAb 5c8. T cellswere activated by PMA (10 ng/ml) and PHA (10 μg/ml) for 5 h performed inthe presence of actinomycin D (10 μM).

FIG. 10I. FACS histogram of activated T cells using anti-CD69. T cellswere activated by PMA (10 ng/ml) and PHA (10 μg/ml) for 5 h performed inthe presence of actinomycin D (10 μM).

FIG. 10J. FACS histogram of activated T cells using FITC. T cells wereactivated by PMA (10 ng/ml) and PHA (10 μg/ml) for 5 h performed in thepresence of cycloheximide (100 μM). FITC represents a control forbackground staining.

FIG. 10K. FACS histogram of activated T cells using mAb 5c8. T cellswere activated by PMA (10 ng/ml) and PHA (10 μg/ml) for 5 h performed inthe presence of or cycloheximide (100 μM).

FIG. 10L. FACS histogram of activated T cells using anti-CD69. T cellswere activated by PMA (10 ng/ml) and PHA (10 μg/ml) for 5 h performed inthe presence of cycloheximide (100 μM).

FIGS. 11A-F. Kinetics of expression of 5c8 on isolated CD4⁺ or CD8⁺ Tcell subsets.

Shown is a fluorescence histogram of CD4⁺ or CD8⁺ cells at the indicatedtime points after freshly purified T cell subsets were activated withPHA (10 μg/ml) and PMA (10 ng/ml).

Solid line: 5c8 binding; dashed line: IgG2a control; and dotted line:anti-CD69.

FIG. 11A. Fluorescence histogram of CD4⁺ cells which were not activatedwith PHA (10 μg/ml) and PMA (10 ng/ml). Solid line: 5c8 binding; dashedline: IgG2a control; and dotted line: anti-CD69.

FIG. 11B. Fluorescence histogram of CD4⁺ cells 6 hours after freshlypurified T cell subsets were activated with PHA (10 μg/ml) and PMA (10ng/ml).

FIG. 11C. Fluorescence histogram of CD4⁺ cells 24 hours after freshlypurified T cell subsets were activated with PHA (10 μg/ml) and PMA (10ng/ml).

FIG. 11D. Fluorescence histogram of CD8⁺ cells which were not activatedwith PHA (10 μg/ml) and PMA (10 ng/ml).

FIG. 11E. Fluorescence histogram of CD8⁺ cells 6 hours after freshlypurified T cell subsets were activated with PHA (10 μg/ml) and PMA (10ng/ml).

FIG. 11F. Fluorescence histogram of CD8⁺ cells 24 hours after freshlypurified T cell subsets were activated with PHA (10 μg/ml) and PMA (10ng/ml).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This invention provides a monoclonal antibody which specificallyrecognizes and forms a complex with a protein located on the surface ofactivated T cells, thereby inhibiting T cell activation of B cells.Activated T cells are found normally only in the germinal centers of ananimal's lymph nodes. However, activated T cells are found in theperipheral blood of animals suffering from T cell tumors, e.g., T cellleukemias and lymphomas.

The monoclonal antibody described and claimed herein binds to T cellswhich are interacting with B cells in the germinal centers of lymphnodes and not to other T cells. Monoclonal antibodies known to thoseskilled in the art to specifically recognize and bind to proteins on thesurface of T cells and thereby inhibit the activation of B cells, e.g.,anti-CD28 monoclonal antibody and anti-LFA-1 monoclonal antibody, do notdistinguish activated T cells.

For the purposes of this invention, “activated T cells” are T cellscapable of providing T cell helper function to resting B cells. For thepurposes of this invention, “germinal centers of lymph nodes” are theareas in lymph nodes where T cells provide T cell helper function to Bcells.

For the purposes of this invention a “monoclonal antibody” is anantibody produced by a hybridoma cell. Methods of making monoclonalantibody-synthesizing hybridoma cells are well known to those skilled inthe art, e.g, by the fusion of an antibody producing B lymphocyte withan immortalized B-lymphocyte cell line.

In one embodiment of this invention, the B cells are resting B cells. Inanother embodiment of this invention, the B cells are primed B cells.For the purposes of this invention, “resting” B cells are unactivated Bcells, i.e., undifferentiated B cells which do not synthesize antibodymolecules. For the purposes of this invention, “primed” B cells are Bcells which have been contacted with antigen and have thereby beenpartially activated, but which do not yet synthesize antibody molecules.

In one embodiment of this invention, the monoclonal antibody is a murinemonoclonal antibody. In another embodiment of this invention, themonoclonal antibody is a chimaeric monoclonal antibody. In still anotherembodiment of this invention, the monoclonal antibody is a humanizedmonoclonal antibody. However, in the preferred embodiment of thisinvention, the monoclonal antibody is a human monoclonal antibody.

For the purposes of this invention, a “chimaeric” monoclonal antibody isa murine monoclonal antibody comprising constant region fragments(F_(c)) from a different animal. In a preferred embodiment of thisinvention, the chimaeric monoclonal antibody comprises human F_(c) andmurine F_(ab). For the purposes of this invention, a “humanized”monoclonal antibody is a murine monoclonal antibody in which humanprotein sequences have been substituted for all the murine proteinsequences except for the murine complementarity determining regions(CDR) of both the light and heavy chains.

In one embodiment of this invention, the monoclonal antibody is directedto the protein to which the monoclonal antibody 5c8 (ATCC Accession No.HB 10916) is directed. In another embodiment of this invention, themonoclonal antibody is directed to the epitope to which the monoclonalantibody 5c8 (ATCC Accession No. HB 10916) is directed. In still anotherembodiment of this invention, the monoclonal antibody is the monoclonalantibody 5c8.

In one of this invention, the monoclonal antibody is labelled with adetectable marker, for example, a radioactive isotope, enzyme, dye orbiotin. In another embodiment of this invention, the monoclonal antibodyis conjugated to a therapeutic agent, for example, a radioisotope,toxin, toxoid or chemotherapeutic agent. In still another embodiment ofthis invention, the monoclonal antibody is conjugated to an imagingagent for example, a radioisotope.

This invention provides a pharmaceutical composition comprising themonoclonal antibody and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. For thepurposes of this invention “pharmaceutically acceptable carriers” meansany of the standard pharmaceutical carriers. Examples include, but arenot limited to, physiological saline, phosphate buffered salinecontaining POLYSORB 80™ or water.

The monoclonal antibodies described and claimed herein are useful forisolating the proteins to which the monoclonal antibodies bind. Themonoclonal antibodies are also valuable in new and useful methods for:inhibiting the immune response in an animal; imaging T cell tumors in ananimal; detecting the presence of a T cell tumor in an animal;determining whether an animal harbors a T cell tumor; inhibiting theproliferation of T cell tumor cells in an animal suffering from a T cellcancer; and inhibiting viral infection of the T cells of an animal.

This invention provides an isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding thelight chain protein of the monoclonal antibody. In one embodiment ofthis invention, the nucleic acid molecule is a DNA molecule. Preferably,the DNA molecule is a cDNA molecule.

The nucleic acid sequences described and claimed herein are useful forgenerating new viral and circular plasmid vectors described below. Thenucleic acid molecules are also valuable in a new and useful method ofgene therapy, i.e., by stably transforming cells isolated from an animalwith the nucleic acid molecules and then readministering the stablytransformed cells to the animal. Methods of isolating cells include anyof the standard methods of withdrawing cells from an animal. Suitableisolated cells include, but are not limited to, bone marrow cells.Methods of readministering cells include any of the standard methods ofreadministering cells to an animal.

This invention provides a gene transfer vector, for example a plasmid ora viral vector, comprising a nucleic acid molecule encoding the lightchain protein of the monoclonal antibody operably linked to a promoterof RNA transcription. This invention also provides a gene transfervector, for example a plasmid or a viral vector, comprising a nucleicacid molecule encoding the heavy chain protein of the monoclonalantibody operably linked to a promoter of RNA transcription.

The gene transfer vectors described and claimed herein are valuable asproducts useful for generating stably transformed eukaryotic host cells,and thereby in new and useful methods of growing such host cells underconditions suitable for the production of a protein.

This invention provides a host vector system comprising the genetransfer vectors described and claimed herein in a suitable host cell.In one embodiment of this invention, the suitable host cell is a stablytransformed eukaryotic cell, for example a stably transformed yeast or amammalian cell. In the preferred embodiment of this invention, thestably transformed eukaryotic cell is a stably transformed mammaliancell.

The host vector system described and claimed herein is valuable in a newand useful method for the synthesis of a monoclonal antibody, comprisinggrowing the host vector system under conditions suitable for theproduction of the monoclonal antibody.

This invention provides a hybridoma cell producing a monoclonal antibodyof this invention. Preferably, the hybridoma cell is the hybridoma cellproducing the monoclonal antibody 5c8 (ATCC Accession No.HB 10916). Thehybridoma cells were accorded with ATCC Accession No. HB 10916 which wasdeposited on Nov. 14, 1991 with the American Type Culture Collection(ATCC), 10801 University Blvd., Manassas, Va. 20110-2209, U.S.A. underthe provision of the Budapest Treaty on the International Recognition ofthe Deposit of Microorganisms for the Purposes of Patent Procedure. Forthe purposes of this invention, a “hybridoma cell” is a cell formed bythe fusion of an immortalized cell and an antibody-producing cell,thereby forming a cell which makes a monoclonal antibody.

This invention provides a CD4⁻ human T cell leukemia cell linedesignated D1.1 (ATCC Accession No.CRL 10915) capable of constitutivelyproviding contact-dependent helping function to B cells. The D1.1 cellwas deposited on Nov. 14, 1991 with the American Type Culture Collection(ATCC), 10801 University Blvd., Manassas, Va. 20110-2209, U.S.A. underthe provision of the Budapest Treaty for the International Recognitionof the Deposit of Microorganisms for the Purposes of Patent Procedure.In one embodiment of this invention, the B cells are resting B cells. Inanother embodiment of this invention, the B cells are primed B cells.

The cell line described and claimed herein is valuable as a source ofthe isolated activated T cell surface protein, which is valuable for theinformation it provides concerning the nucleotide sequences which encodeit. The nucleotide sequences are valuable in a new and useful method ofproducing the soluble activated T cell surface protein described andclaimed herein. The cell line is also valuable in new and useful methodsfor immunizing an animal against a protein antigen and for screeningpharmaceutical compounds for their ability to inhibit T cell activationof B cells.

This invention provides an isolated protein from the surface ofactivated T cells that is necessary for T cell activation of B cells. Inone embodiment of this invention, the B cells are resting B cells. Inanother embodiment of this invention, the B cells are primed B cells.Preferably, the isolated protein is the protein to which the monoclonalantibody 5c8 (ATCC Accession No. HB 10916) binds.

This invention provides an isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding the Tcell surface protein. In one embodiment of this invention, the nucleicacid molecule is a DNA molecule. Preferably, the DNA molecule is a cDNAmolecule. The nucleic acid molecules are valuable as products forgenerating new viral and circular plasmid vectors described below. Thenucleic acid molecules are also valuable in a new and useful method ofgene therapy, i.e., by stably transforming cells isolated from an animalwith the nucleic acid molecules and then readministering the stablytransformed cells to the animal. Methods of isolating cells include anyof the standard methods of withdrawing cells from an animal. Suitableisolated cells include, but are not limited to, bone marrow cells.Methods of readministering cells include any of the standard methods ofreadministering cells to an animal.

This invention also provides a gene transfer vector, for example aplasmid or a viral vector, comprising the isolated nucleic acid moleculeencoding the actiavted T cell surface protein.

The gene transfer vectors described and claimed herein are valuable asproducts useful for generating stably transformed eukaryotic host cells,and thereby in new and useful methods of growing such host cells underconditions suitable for the production of a protein.

This invention further provides a host vector system comprising the genetransfer vector in a suitable host cell. In one embodiment of thisinvention, the suitable host cell is a stably transformed eukaryoticcell, for example, a stably transformed yeast or a mammalian cell.Preferably, the stably transformed cell is a stably transformedmammalian cell.

The host vector system is valuable as a product useful for the largescale synthesis of the activated T cell surface protein by growing thehost vector system under conditions suitable for the production ofprotein. Thus, a method of producing the activated T cell surfaceprotein is also provided. This invention further provides the proteinproduced by this method.

This invention provides an isolated, soluble protein from the surface ofactivated T cells necessary for T cell activation of B cells. In oneembodiment of this invention, the B cells are resting B cells. Inanother embodiment of this invention, the B cells are primed B cells.

For the purposes of this invention, a “soluble protein” is a proteinfree of cell membranes and other cellular components. Preferably, thesoluble protein is the protein to which the monoclonal antibody 5c8(ATCC Accession No.HB 10916) binds. In one embodiment of this invention,the soluble protein is labeled with a detectable marker, for example, aradioactive isotope, enzyme, dye or biotin. The soluble protein isvaluable as a product for making a new and useful pharmaceuticalcomposition.

Thus, a pharmaceutical composition comprising the soluble protein and apharmaceutically acceptable carrier is also provided. “Pharmaceuticallyacceptable carriers” means any of the standard pharmaceuticallyacceptable carriers. Examples include, but are not limited to, phosphatebuffered saline, physiological saline, water and emulsions, such asoil/water emulsions.

This invention provides an isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding thesoluble protein. In one embodiment of this invention, the nucleic acidmolecule is a DNA molecule. Preferably, the DNA molecule is a cDNAmolecule.

The nucleic acid sequences described and claimed herein are useful forgenerating new viral and circular plasmid vectors described below. Thenucleic acid molecules are also valuable in a new and useful method ofgene therapy, i.e., by stably transforming cells isolated from an animalwith the nucleic acid molecules and then readministering the stablytransformed cells to the animal. Methods of isolating cells include anyof the standard methods of withdrawing cells from an animal. Suitableisolated cells include, but are not limited to, bone marrow cells.Methods of readministering cells include any of the standard methods ofreadministering cells to an animal.

This invention also provides a gene transfer vector, for example, aplasmid vector or a viral vector, comprising the isolated nucleic acidmolecule operably linked to a promoter of RNA transcription.

The gene transfer vectors described and claimed herein are valuable asproducts useful for generating stably transformed eukaryotic host cells,and thereby in new and useful methods of growing such host cells underconditions suitable for the production of a protein.

This invention further provides a host vector system comprising the genetransfer vector in a suitable host cell. In one embodiment of thisinvention, the suitable host cell is a stably transformed eukaryoticcell, for example, a stably transformed eukaryotic yeast or mammaliancell. Preferably, the stably transformed cell is a stably transformedmammalian cell.

The host vector system is valuable as a product useful for the largescale synthesis of the soluble activated T cell surface protein bygrowing the host vector system under conditions suitable for theproduction of protein and recovering the protein so produced. Thus, amethod of producing the soluble protein is also provided. This inventionfurther provides the soluble protein produced by this method.

This invention provides a method of inhibiting B cell activation in ananimal which comprises administering to the animal an effectiveinhibiting amount of a pharmaceutical composition comprising themonoclonal antibody which specifically recognizes the activated T cellsurface protein and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. For thepurposes of this invention, an “effective inhibiting amount” of apharmaceutical composition is any amount of the pharmaceuticalcomposition which is effective to bind to a protein on the surface ofactivated T cells and thereby inhibit T cell activation of B cells. Inone embodiment of this invention, the B cells are resting B cells. Inanother embodiment of this invention, the B cells are primed B cells.

Methods of determining an “effective amount” are well known to thoseskilled in the art and will depend upon factors including, but notlimited to, the type of animal involved and the animal's body weight. Inone embodiment of this invention, the animal is a mammal, for example amouse or a human. Preferably, the mammal is a human.

For the purposes of this invention, “administration” means any of thestandard methods of administering a pharmaceutical composition known tothose skilled in the art. Examples include, but are not limited to,intravenous, intraperitoneal or intramuscular administration.

The method of inhibiting B cell activation is valuable in a new anduseful method for inhibiting the immune response of an animal. In oneembodiment of this invention, the animal is a mammal, for example amouse or a human. Preferably, the mammal is a human.

In one embodiment of this invention, inhibiting the immune response ofan animal is valuable as a method of inhibiting the rejection by theanimal of a transplant organ, for example, a heart, kidney or liver.

In another embodiment of this invention, inhibiting the immune responseof an animal is valuable as a method of inhibiting the autoimmuneresponse in an animal suffering from autoimmune disease. Examples ofautoimmune diseases include, but are not limited to, rheumatoidarthritis, Myasthenia gravis, systemeic lupus erythematosus, Graves'disease, idiopathic thrombocytopenia purpura, hemolytic anemia, diabetesmellitus and drug-induced autoimmune diseases, e.g., drug-induced lupus.

In still another embodiment of this invention, inhibiting the immuneresponse in an animal is valuable as a method of inhibiting allergicresponses, e.g., hay fever or an allergy to penicillin, in the animal.

This invention provides a method of imaging T cell tumors, e.g., T cellleukemias or lymphomas, in a patient which comprises: administering tothe patient an effective imaging amount of a pharmaceutical compositioncomprising the monoclonal antibody which specifically recognizes theactivated T cell surface protein, conjugated to an imaging agent, underconditions permitting the formation of a complex between the monoclonalantibody and a protein on the surface of the tumor cells; and imagingany monoclonal antibody/protein complex formed, thereby imaging any Tcell tumors in the patient. Preferably, the patient is a human patient.

The T cell surface protein is found in animals free of tumors only onthe surface of activated T cells, i.e., those T cells providingcontact-dependent helper function to B cells in the germinal centers oflymph nodes. However, the protein is found on the surface of T celltumor cells circulating in the blood of the animal.

“Administering” means any of the standard methods of administering apharmaceutical composition known to those skilled in the art. Examplesinclude, but are not limited to intravenous, intramuscular orintraperitoneal administration. Methods of detecting the formation ofmonoclonal antibody/protein complexes, e.g., by exposure of x-ray film,are well known to those skilled in the art.

An “effective imaging amount” of the pharmaceutical composition is anyamount effective for the formation of complexes between the monoclonalantibody and a cell surface protein, such that the complexes can beimaged. Methods of determining an “effective imaging amount” are wellknown to those skilled in the art and depend upon factors including, butnot limited to the type of animal involved, the size of the animal andthe imaging agent used. In one embodiment of this invention, the imagingagent is a radioisotope.

This invention provides a method of detecting the presence of a T celltumor, e.g., a T cell leukemia or lymphoma, in an animal whichcomprises: administering to the animal an amount of a pharmaceuticalcomposition comprising a monoclonal antibody bound to a detectablemarker effective to bind to a protein on the surface of T cell tumorcells under conditions permitting the formation of complexes between themonoclonal antibody and the protein; clearing any unbound imaging agentfrom the animal; and detecting the presence of any monoclonalantibody/protein complex so formed, the presence of such complexindicating the presence of T cell tumor cells in the animal. In oneembodiment of this invention, the animal is a mammal, e.g., a mouse or ahuman. Preferably, the mammal is a human.

“Administering” means any of the standard methods of administering aphramaceutical composition known to those skilled in the art. Examplesinclude, but are not limited to intravenous, intramuscular orintraperitoneal administration. Methods of detecting the formation ofmonoclonal antibody/protein complexes, e.g., by exposure of x-ray filmor microscopic examination, are well known to those skilled in the art.

An “effective amount” of the pharmaceutical composition is any amount ofthe pharmaceutical composition effective to detect the presence of a Tcell tumor in the animal. Methods of determining an “effective amount”are well known to those skilled in the art and depend upon a number offactors including, but not limited to: the type of animal involved, thesize of the blood sample contacted and the detectable marker used. Inone embodiment of this invention, the detectable marker is aradiosotope, enzyme, dye or biotin.

This invention provides a method of determining whether an animalharbors a T cell tumor, e.g., a T cell leukemia or lymphoma, whichcomprises: isolating a sample of blood from the animal; contacting saidsample with an amount of pharmaceutical composition comprising amonoclonal antibody, wherein the monoclonal antibody is labelled with adetectable marker, effective to bind to a soluble protein underconditions permitting the formation of a complex between the monoclonalantibody and the protein; and detecting the presence of any monoclonalantibody/protein complex so formed, the presence of such complexindicating the presence of T cell tumor cells in the patient.

The method provided by this invention is valuable as a new and usefulmethod of detecting the presence of T cell tumor cells in the blood ofan animal before the presence of the tumor cells themselves can bedetected. The method provided by this invention is also valuable as anew and useful method for determining the effectiveness of the treatmentof an animal with an anti-T cell tumor drug, i.e., by determining thelevel of soluble protein in the blood of the animal, such level beingindicative of the effectiveness of the treatment.

It is well known to those skilled in the art that the blood of patientssuffering from T cell tumors contains soluble proteins, e.g., the Tacantigen, shed from the surface of T cell tumor cells. Thus, the presenceof soluble T cell surface proteins in the blood of an animal isindicative of the presence of T cell tumors in the animal.

For the purposes of this invention, a “soluble protein” is a proteinfree of cell membranes and other cellular components. In the preferredembodiment of this invention, the soluble protein is the protein towhich the monoclonal antibody 5c8 (ATCC Accession No. HB 10916) binds.

“Isolating” blood from an animal means any of the generally acceptablemethods of withdrawing blood and immediately placing the blood into areceptacle containing an anticoagulant, e.g., heparin, EDTA or citrate.Methods of detecting monoclonal antibody/protein complexes are wellknown to those skilled in the art. Examples include, but are not limitedto, exposure of x-ray film and ELISA.

An “effective amount” of the pharmaceutical composition is any amount ofthe pharmaceutical composition effective to detect the presence of thesoluble protein in the blood of the animal. Methods of determining an“effective amount” are well known to those skilled in the art and dependupon a number of factors including, but not limited to: the type ofanimal involved, the size of the blood sample contacted and thedetectable marker used. In one embodiment of this invention, thedetectable marker is a radiosotope, enzyme, dye or biotin.

In one embodiment of this invention, the animal is a mammal, e.g., amouse or a human. Preferably, the mammal is a human.

This invention provides a method of inhibiting the proliferation of Tcell tumor cells[ in an animal suffering from a T cell cancer, e.g., a Tcell leukemia or lymphoma, which comprises administering to the patientan amount of the pharmaceutical composition, comprising a monoclonalantibody conjugated to a therapeutic agent, effective to inhibit theproliferation of T cell tumor cells. In one embodiment of thisinvention, the animal is a mammal, e.g., a mouse or a human. Preferably,the mammal is a human.

“Administering” means any of the standard methods of administering aphramaceutical composition known to those skilled in the art. Examplesinclude, but are not limited to intravenous, intramuscular orintraperitoneal administration.

An “effective amount” of the pharmaceutical composition is any amount ofthe pharmaceutical composition effective to inhibit the proliferation ofT cell tumor cells. Methods of determining an “effective amount” arewell known to those skilled in the art and depend upon factorsincluding, but not limited to: the type of animal involved, the size ofthe animal and the therapeutic agent used. In one embodiment of thisinvention, the therapeutic agent is a radioisotope, toxin, toxoid orchemotherapeutic agent.

This invention provides a method of inhibiting viral infection of the Tcells of an animal by the HTLV I virus comprising administering to theanimal an amount of a pharmaceutical composition, comprising amonoclonal antibody which specifically recognizes a protein on thesurface of activated T cells, effective to inhibit the infection of Tcells by the HTLV I virus. In one embodiment of this invention, theanimal is a mammal, e.g., a mouse or a human. Preferably, the mammal isa human.

It is well known to those skilled in the art that the CD4 protein is thecellular protein to which the HTLV I virus binds. HTLV I virus thusspecifically infects CD4⁺, but not CD8⁺ T cells. This invention providesa protein, the protein to which monoclonal antibody 5c8 binds, alsospecific to CD4⁺ T cells.

This invention provides a method of screening a pharmaceutical compound,e.g., cyclosporin, cyclophosphamide or azothioprine, for its ability toinhibit T cell helper function which comprises: isolating a sample ofblood from an animal; culturing said sample under conditions permittingactivation of the B cells contained therein; contacting the sample withan amount of the D1.1 cell line effective to activate B cells;contacting the sample with an amount of a pharmaceutical compoundeffective to inhibit T cell activation of B cells if the pharmaceuticalcompound is capable of inhibiting T cell activation; and determiningwhether the T cell line activates B cells in the presence of thepharmaceutical compound.

In one embodiment of this invention, the B cells are resting B cells. Inanother embodiment of this invention, the B cells are primed B cells.

In one embodiment of this invention, the blood is isolated from amammal, e.g., a mouse or a human.

“Isolating” blood from an animal means any of the generally acceptablemethods of withdrawing blood and immediately placing the blood into areceptacle containing an anticoagulant, e.g., heparin, EDTA or citrate.Culturing B cells under “conditions permitting activation of B cells”comprises culturing B cells in the presence of lymphokines. An“effective activating amount” of the D1.1 cell line is any concentrationof the cells in culture effective to activate B cells in the culture.Methods of determining an “effective activating amount” are well knownto those skilled in the art.

A method of immunizing an animal against a protein antigen whichcomprises: isolating a sample of blood including immature B lymphocytesfrom the animal; recovering immature B cells from said sample;coculturing said immature B cells with an amount of the cell line D1.1or the pharmaceutical composition comprising the soluble activated Tcell surface protein effective to stimulate the B cells to differentiateunder conditions permitting the differentiation of B cells; contactingsaid differentiated B cells with an amount of the protein antigeneffective to induce the differentiated B cells to produce an antibodywhich recognizes the protein antigen; and administering saidantibody-producing B lymphocytes to the animal from which the bloodsample was isolated.

For the purposes of this invention, “immature B cells” areundifferentiated, non-antibody synthesizing B cells.

“Isolating” blood from an animal means any of the generally acceptablemethods of withdrawing blood and immediately placing the blood into areceptacle containing an anticoagulant, e.g., heparin, EDTA or citrate.Culturing B cells under “conditions permitting differentiation of Bcells” comprises culturing B cells in the presence of lymphokines.Methods of administering the B lymphocytes to the animal include any ofthe generally acceptable methods for administering cells to an animal.

An “effective amount” of the D1.1 cell line or the soluble activated Tcell surface protein is any amount of the cell line or the solubleprotein effective to induce B cells to differentiate. Methods ofdetermining an “effective amount” are well known to those skilled in theart.

An “effective differentiating amount” of a protein antigen is any amountof the antigen effective to induce differentiated B cells to produce anantibody which specifically recognizes the antigen.

In one embodiment of this invention, the animal is a mammal, e.g., amouse or a human. Preferably, the mammal is a human.

In one embodiment of the invention, the antigen is a viral proteinantigen, e.g., a hepatitis B virus protein antigen, a Human T cellLeukemia Virus protein antigen or a human Immunodeficiency Virus proteinantigen. In another embodiment of this invention, the antigen is anautoantigen.

This invention provides a method of treating a patient suffering fromhypogammoglobulinemia which comprises administering to the patient anamount of the soluble activated T cell surface protein effective totreat the patient for hypogammoglobulinemia. Methods of determining an“effective amount” are known to those skilled in the art.

Materials and Methods

GENERATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF 5C8 MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY. Five BALB/cmice were immunized with 2×10⁶ D1.1 cells in saline intravenously andthen boosted intraperitoneally at five, approximately two-week,intervals. The sera of these mice were titrated to test for the presenceof antibodies that bound preferentially to Jurkat D1.1 versus B2.7 cellsby FACS. One mouse, which showed the best differential titer, received aboost of 2×10⁶ D1.1 cells intravenously 3 d prior to fusion. Splenocytesfrom this mouse were fused with 7×10⁷ murine SP2/0 myeloma fusionpartner cells as previously described (59). The cell mixture wascultured overnight in Dulbecco's Modified Eagle's Medium (DMEM)containing 15% FCS before the fusion product was seeded into 360 8-mmwells. Colonies appeared in 220 wells and all were screened by FACS fordifferential binding to D1.1 and B2.7 cells. A mAb designated 5c8 wasfound to bind to D1.1 cells and not B2.7 cells. The 5c8 clone wassubcloned multiple times until monoclonality was established. The 5c8mAb was found to be IgG2a by Elisa (HYCLONE®, Logan, Utah).

MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES. The following mAbs were produced by hybridomasavailable from the American Type Culture Collection (Rockville, Md.):OKT11 (anti-CD2), OKT10(anti-38), OKT8(anti-CD8), OKT6(anti-CD1a),OKT4(anti-CD4), OKT3 (anti-CD3), OKT1(anti-CD5), 3A1(anti-CD7),Tac(anti-CD25), T-HB5(anti-CD21, CR2), W6/32(anti-MHC class I),AB2.06(anti-MHC class II), L243(anti MHC class II), 93F10(anti-MHC classII), TS1/22.1.13(anti-LFA-1a), TS1/18.1.2.11.4(anti-LFA-1β), TS2/9.1.4.3(anti-LFA-3) and 187.1(anti-human Ig(Fab)). These mAbs were either usedat saturating concentrations of hybridoma supernatants, or purified fromascites fluid on protein A columns (Biorad, Rockville Center, N.Y.). Theanti-Jurkat TCR clonotypic (anti-v38) mAb 16G8 and a panel of other suchanti-TCR mAb were purchased from Diversi-T, T Cell Science (Cambridge,Mass.). The mAb OKT4A was purchased from Ortho Pharmaceutical (Raritan,N.J.), TCRδ-1 was the gift of Dr. Michael Brenner, Harvard MedicalSchool (Boston, Mass.). M241(anti-CD1c) was the gift of Dr. Cox Terhorstof Harvard Medical College. FITC labeled ant-CD23-PE mAbs and unlabelledanti-CD69 were purchased from Becton Dickinson (Mountainview, Calif.).FITC labeled anti-IgM was purchased from Tago (Burlingame, Calif.).Kolt-4 (anti-CD28) and anti-CD27 were purchased from Accurate Scientific(Westbury, N.Y.).

Recombinant proteins, rIL-4 was purchased from Genzyme (Cambridge,Mass.). rIL-2 was a gift of Hoffmann-LaRoche (Nutley, N.J.).

Cytofluorographic Analysis. Approximately 10⁵ cells were incubated withsaturating concentrations of the indicated mAbs for 45 min at 4° C. inthe presence of 80 μg/ml heat-aggregated human IgG (InternationalEnzyme, Fallbrook, Calif.). Cells were washed to remove unbound mAbbefore incubation with goat anti-mouse Ig secondary antibody coupled tofluorescein (Cappel, Cochranville, Pa.).

For two color analysis, cells were reacted with the indicated directlycoupled FITC or Phycoerythrin (PE) conjugated mAb for 45 min at 4° C. inthe presence of aggregated human IgG. Prior to analysis, cells werewashed and resuspended in PBS. Fluorescence intensity was measured on aFACSCAN Cytofluorograph with the consort-30 software (Becton-Dickinson,Mountainview, Calif.). In experiments involving co-culture of B cellswith Jurkat clones, the Jurkat cells were excluded from the analysis ofB cell fluorescence by gating on the distinct population of cells withlow forward and side light scatter. In experiments with PMA and PHAactivated cells, dead cells were excluded from analysis by treatmentwith propridium iodide and electronic FACS gating.

CELL LINES. The following cell lines are available from the AmericanType Culture Collection (Rockville, Md.): HPB-ALL, Jurkat, CEM, PEER,MOLT-IV, K562, Ramos, Raji and U937. BA is an Epstein Barr virustransformed B cell line that has been previously reported (60). H9 isavailable from the HIV Repository (Rockville, Md.). HLA typings wasperformed by Dr. Elaine Reed of the Department of Pathology, ColumbiaUniversity (One Lambda, Los Angeles, Calif.). Jurkat D1.1 and B2.7 werenegative for mycoplasma by the Mycotect kit (GIBCO®, Grand Island, N.Y.)and by the DNA hybridization method (Genprobe, La Jolla, Calif.).

ISOLATION OF CELL POPULATIONS. Peripheral blood lymphocytes wereobtained from the freshly drawn blood of healthy volunteers bycentrifugation on Ficoll-Hypaque (SIGMA®, St. Louis, Mo.) or Leukoprep(Becton-Dickson). T cells were positively selected with neuraminidasetreated sheep erythrocytes. CD4⁺CD8⁻ and CD4⁻D8³⁰ T cell subsets wereisolated by anti-CD8 or anti-CD4 mAb treatment, respectively, followedby complement mediated lysis as previously described (19). B cells werederived from the population of cells that did not pellet throughficoll-hypaque after two rounds of rosetting with neuraminidase treatedsheep erythrocytes.

B cells were further purified by either density centrifugation or bypositive selection on an anti-Ig column. In the first method, E− cellswere cultured overnight in polystyrene flasks (37° C., 5% CO₂) todeplete the macrophage by adherence. These non-T cell, non-macrophagecells were fractionated into high and low density fractions in adiscontinuous 30%/50%/100% PERCOLL™ gradient by centrifugation at 2300rpm for 12 min. High-low-density cells were obtained from the 50/100%interface and low-density cells from the 30/50% interface (62). The highdensity (resting) cells were typically 60-80% CD20⁺, 55-80% IgM⁺ and <5%CD3⁺ and <5% CD23⁺ (background). In other experiments (where indicated)B cells were purified by SEPHADEX® G-200 anti-P(ab)₂ Ig affinitychromatography into sIg⁺ cells as has been described (19,62). The sIg⁺populations were typically <5% CD3⁺, <10 CD2⁺ and >90% CD20⁺ whenanalyzed by FACS.

SDS POLYACRYLAMIDE GEL ELECTROPHORESIS. Jurkat clones were iodinated bythe lactoperoxidase method, solubilized in 1% NP40, 25 mM Tris-BufferedPBS containing iodoacetamide and 10 μm PMSF. The cell lysates werereacted with protein A-4B SEPHAROSE™ beads (Pharmacia, Uppsula, Sweden)that were coated with mAb 187.1 (anti-human F(ab)Ig) and approximately10 μg of the indicated mAb. After washing the beads to removenon-specifically bound proteins, the precipitated proteins weredenatured by heating in SDS in the presence or absence of 2-ME. Thedenatured proteins and pre-stained MW markers (Biorad, Rockville Center,N.Y.) were electrophoresed through 12% polyacrylamide in 12 cm gels(Biorad Protean Gel, Rockville Center, N.Y.) and dried gels were used toexpose X-ray film (Kodak, Rochester, N.Y.).

Mitomycin-C and Paraformaldehyde Treatments. Jurkat cells (10⁷/ml) weretreated with 50 μg/ml mitomycin-C (Sigma, St. Louis, Mo.) for 60 min at37° C. The mitomycin-treated Jurkat cells were washed twice, resuspendedin mitomycin free media and then cultured for 45-60 min at 3° C. Thecells were washed two additional times and then added to the B cellcultures. In fixation experiments, T cells were treated with freshlymade 0.5% paraformaldehyde for 5-10 minutes, quenched with 0.2 ML-lysine and washed five times before addition to cultures of B cells.

T CELL ACTIVATION. In experiments studying expression of 5c8 Ag, restingT cells were cultured in the presence or absence of 10 μg/ml phorbolmyristate acetate (PMA) (Sigma, St. Louis, Mo.) and 10 μg/ml PHA(Sigma). In experiments studying the metabolic requirements for 5c8 Agexpression, T cells were activated in the presence of 100 μmcyclohexamide (Sigma) or 10 μg/ml actinomycin D (Sigma).

In experiments studying the induction of CD23 expression on high densityB cells by activated T cells, the mAbs OKT3 or OKT4 were immobilized onthe surfaces of 24 well culture plates by incubation of 10 μg/ml of mAbin PBS for 1 h. Control wells were incubated in PBS containing no mAb.After washing unbound mAb coated plates at 2×10⁶ cell/well in thepresence of 10 ng/ml phorbol dibutyrate (PDB) (Sigma) for 6 h. The cellswere removed by vigorous pipetting, washed and fixed with 0.5%paraformaldehyde as described above before culture at a 1:1 ratio with2×10⁵ high density, PERCOLL® isolated, resting B cells for 18 h. B cellCD23 expression was determined by 2-color FACS as described above.

ASSAYS OF B CELL ACTIVATION AND DIFFERENTIATION. In experimentsmeasuring the induction of B cell surface CD23 expression, 2×10⁵ highdensity B cells were added to the indicated number of Jurkat cells or Tcells in 200 μl of Iscove's Modified Dulbecco Medium (IMDM) 10% FCSround bottom microtiter wells (Nunc) and assayed for CD23 expressionafter 18-24 h. Two chamber experiments were performed with 5×10⁵ Jurkatcells in the presence or absence of 5×10⁵ B cells separated from 5×10⁵cells by 45-μm culture plate inserts from MILLIPORE(Bedford, Mass.).

B cell proliferation was measured by culturing 10⁵ B cells with equalnumbers of mitomycin-C-treated E⁺ cells or Jurkat clones in flat bottommicrotiter wells (NUNC™) in the presence or absence of PHA (5 μg/ml).The cultures were pulsed with 1 μCi (H³) thymidine (New England Nuclear,Boston, Mass.) after 60 h and harvested 16 h later on glass fiber filterpaper (Cambridge Technology, Watertown, Mass.). Beta scintillation cpmwere measured on a beta counter (LKB RACKBETA™ counter, Model 1209).

The measurement of plaque forming colonies (PFC) was a modification ofthe Jerne hemolytic plaque assay (19). Briefly, 2.5×10⁵ B cells werecultured with varying numbers of mitomycin-C treated Jurkat cells oruntreated freshly isolated, autologous T cells for 6 days in thepresence or absence of a 1:400 dilution of pokeweed mitogen (PWM)(GIBCO®, Grand Island, N.Y.). The cells were washed twice andresuspended in Hanks balanced salt solution. From an appropriatedilution, 50 ul of cultured cell suspension was mixed with; 10 μl of an11% solution of SRBC that had been coated with rabbit anti-human Ig bychromic chloride, 10 μl of diluted rabbit anti-human Ig and 10 μl ofguinea pig complement. These mixtures were introduced into duplicateglass chambers and cultured for 2h at 37° C. Plaques were counted usinga dissecting microscope and expressed as plaque forming colonies (PFC)10⁶ B cells.

ELISA for Ig isotype quantitation were performed by coating polystyrene96-well plates (Immulon II, Dynatech Laboratories, Chantilly, Va.) withdilutions of goat anti-human IgA, IgG, or IgM (Tago, Burlingame, Calif.)in carbonate buffer, pH 9.6, for 18 h at 4° C. The plates were washedwith 0.05% TWEEN® in PBS, and nonspecific sites were blocked by a 2hincubation of 1% BSA-PBS. After washing, 50 μl of cell culturesupernatants or Ig isotype standards (Rockland, Gilbertsville, Pa.) wereadded to the wells and allowed to bind for 2 h. Next, goat anti-human Igcoupled to alkaline phosphatase (Tago) was added to detect bound humanIg. After 2 h, the wells were washed and p-nitrophenyl phosphate wasadded. Absorbance was measured at 405 nm in a Molecular Devices VMAX™device (Palo Alto, Calif.). Samples were assayed in triplicate. Errorbars represent calculated standard deviation from curve fit andinterpolation (Delta-Soft, BioMetallics, Inc. Princeton, N.J.).

EXAMPLES Example 1

Role of CD4 in T Cell Function

To study the role of CD4 in T cell functions, a CD4⁻ Jurkat clone (D1.1)was isolated from a culture that spontaneously developed a CD4⁻subpopulation identified by a negative peak on FACS analysis. The lackof CD4 surface expression was relatively specific in that the cellsurface phenotype of Jurkat D1.1 with respect to the binding of a largepanel of mAb was similar to a CD4⁺ clone, Jurkat B2.7 (FIGS. 1A-H andTable 1). Although the differential expression of CD4 was the onlyqualitative difference between these subclones, some of the othermolecular structures studied were expressed at quantitatively differentlevels. For example, Jurkat D1.1 expressed more CD2 and MHC class (HLA)molecules than Jurkat B2.7. However, Jurkat D1.1 expressed fewer CD28molecules and fewer TCR-α/β(vβ8)/CD3 complexes than Jurkat B2.7 (FIGS.1A-H and Table 1). In addition to their shared reactivity with theclonotypic anti-TCR mAb, Jurkat D1.1 and B2.7 were HLA identical (A3,34,2, 16) and distinct from an unrelated T cell leukemic line, HPB-ALL(A9). Together, these data demonstrated that Jurkat D1.1 was a CD4⁻subclone of Jurkat and that the absence of CD4 molecules was arelatively specific alteration in its surface phenotype.

TABLE 1 CELL SURFACE PHENOTYPES OF JURKAT CLONES D1.1 AND B2.7 MeanFluorescence Intensity^(a) CD No. Molecule mAb D1.1 B2.7 TCRα/β BMA-03110 40 TCRvβ8 16G8 30 70 TCR-vβ5 W6/32 0 0 MHC-classI W6/32 190 70MHC-classII 2.06 0 0 CD1a T6 OKT6 10 10 CD1c M241 10 10 CD2 T11 OKT11100 10 CD3 TCR complex OKT3 30 80 CD4 T4 OKT4 0 130 CD5 T1 OKT1 20 90CD7 3A1 200 190 CD8 T8 OKT8 0 0 CD11a LFA-1α TS1/ 22.1.13 40 100 CD14My2 0 0 CD16 FcyRII 3G8 20 20 CD18 LFA-1β TS1/ 18.1.2.11.4 30 80 CD21CR2 HB-5 0 0 CD23 FcyRII leu20 0 0 CD25 tac. IL-2Rα tac 0 0 CD26 DPPIVtaq-1 0 0 CD28 9.3. gp44 KOLT-4 30 70 CD29 4B4 140 110 CD38 T10 OKT10 4030 CDw32 FcyRII 32.2 0 0 CD45RA T200. LCA 2H4 30 40 CD45RO T200. LCAUCHL1 10 20 CDw49 VLA-1 1B.3 0 0 CD58 LFA-III TS2/9.1.4.3 40 60 CD64FcyRI IV 3 0 0 ^(a)Numbers represent mean fluorescence intensity(arbitrary units) as determined by FACS. Background is subtracted andnumbers are rounded off to the nearest ten units.

In functional studies, we compared the ability of CD4⁺ (B2.7) and CD4⁻(D1.1) Jurkat cells to induce resting B cells to express CD23, a markerof B cell activation (32, 35, 57). Surprisingly, co-culture of B cellswith CD4⁻ Jurkat (D1.1) but not CD4⁺ Jurkat cells (B2.7) induced CD23expression on greater than 60% of B cells (FIGS. 2A-F). The induction ofB cell surface CD23 expression by Jurkat D1.1 was maximal at 20-24 h ata ratio of 1:1 D1.1 cells to B cells (FIGS. 3A-B). In contrast, the B3.7Jurkat subclone did not activate B cells at high ratios (FIGS. 3A-B) orat long periods of coculture (up to 48 h, not shown). In addition,Jurkat D1.1 was unique in this ability compared with other T cell (H9,HPB-ALL, MOLT-IV, CEM) and non-T cell (U937) leukemic lines (not shown).Jurkat D1.1 induced B cell CD23 expression selectively because thelevels of other B cell surface molecules such as IgM (FIGS. 2A-F), CD20(FIGS. 2A-F), or class I MHC were not affected. The effect of JurkatD1.1 on B cell activation was consistently observed on B cells from over25 unrelated donors, suggesting that the effect was neither Ag nor MHCrestricted.

B cell CD23 expression is an early and possibly intermediate stage interminal B cell differentiation into Ig-secreting cells. Other stimuli,besides those contributed by activated T cell surfaces are required tomediate substantial B cell proliferation and differentiation. Becausethe measurements of B cell proliferation or differentiation requireseveral days of culture, we inhibited the proliferation of the Jurkatclones by pretreatment with mitomycin-C, which did not abolish theircapacity to activate B cells (Table 2).

TABLE 2 EFFECTS OF MITOMYCIN-C AND ANTIBODIES TO IL-4 ON B CELL CD23EXPRESSION INDUCED BY JURKAT D1.1 CELLS B cells Jurkat clones plus CrIL-4 rIL-2 D1.1 B2.7 D1.1/M B2.7/M 14 64 17 81 16 57 14 Anti-IL-4 ND 28ND 84 ND 64 ND Anti-IL-2 ND 60 ND 86 ND 60 ND Shown are the percentagesof CD20(Leu-16)⁻ B cells expressing CD23 as determined by two-color FACSanalysis with anti-CD20(Leu-16)-FITC and anti-CD23 PE. High densityPercoll ®-fractionated B cells (2 × 10⁴) were cultured alone or with anequal number of either Jurkat B2.7 or D1.1 cells # as indicated for 20h. Where indicated, purified polyclonal rabbit anti-IL-4 or anti-IL-2 Igwas added at the initiation of the experiment to final concentrations of1.25 μg/ml. Where indicated, rIL-2 or rIL-4 were added to indicatedcultures to final concentrations of 25 U/ml. Cells analyzed were gatedby forward and side light scatter to exclude the larger D1.1 or B2.7cells (when present) from the analysis. C: Control; D1.1/M: D1.1 cellstreated with mitomycin-C; B2.7/M: B2.7 cells treated with mitomycin-C;ND: not determined.

Mitomycin-C treated CD4⁻ Jurkat D1.1 and CD4⁺ Jurkat B2.7 were thenstudied for their ability to induce B cell proliferation or terminal Bcell differentiation into Ig-secreting cells. In the presence of Tcell-dependent B cell mitogens (ES), Jurkat D1.1+ but not B2.7-induced Bcell proliferation measured by DNA synthesis (FIG. 4A-B) anddifferentiation to Ig-secreting cells measured by reverse hemolyticplaque assay (FIG. 5A). In addition, the isotype of secreted antibodywas characterized by quantitative ELISA. Jurkat D1.1 but not B2.7induced the secretion of IgG and to a lesser extent, IgM into theculture supernatant (FIGS. 5B and C). Taken together, these data showthat Jurkat D1.1 but not Jurkat B2.7 shared with activated T cells thefunctional capacity to support B cell differentiation and the secretionof IgM and IgG.

Example 2

Role of Diffusible Factors in B Cell Activation

D1.1 supernatants did not induce B cell CD23 expression (FIGS. 3A-B). Wenext performed two chamber experiments in which resting B cells werecultured in a chamber that was separated by a permeable membrane fromeither lymphokine containing media or from cultures of D1.1 cells in thepresence or absence of B cells. In an experiment in which B cells (66%IgM⁺) were cultured in a chamber with a 0.45-mμ membrane, rIL-4 (25U/ml) induced CD23 expression on 28% of IgM⁺ B cells as measured bytwo-color FACS analysis. In contrast, D1.1 cells did not activate Bcells in the other chamber to express CD23 (4.7% for D1.1 vs 4.0%background). In addition, coculture of D1.1 cells with B cells in onechamber did not activate B cells in the other chamber to express CD23(4.9%). However, D1.1 cells potently induced CD23 expression by the Bcells with which they could establish direct contact (76% vs 8.4% forB2.7 cells). Taken together, these data failed to support a role fordiffusible factors in mediating the D1.1 effect on B cells.

Because rIL-4 was known to activate B cells to express CD23 (66), wefurther studied the potential role of IL-4 in mediating this effect inaddition to inducing CD23 expression on B cells. rIL-4 was known toup-regulate B cell sIgM⁺ expression (58). Whereas rIL-4 induced CD23expression and sIgM up-regulation in a dose-dependent manner, D1.1 cellsinduced CD23 expression but did not up-regulate B cell sIgM (FIGS.6A-E). The effect of D1.1 cells on B cell proliferation was alsodistinct from that of rIL-4 (FIGS. 4A-B). D1.1 cells, but not rIL-4induced B cell proliferation in the presence of PHA. Interestingly,rIL-4 and D1.1 cells collaborated to induce B cell proliferation in theabsence of PHA and augment D1.1 induced proliferation in the presence ofPHA. Taken together these data suggest that the effect of D1.1 cells onB cells are distinct from those induced by IL-4. However, to directlyexamine the role of IL-4 in D1.1's effect on B cells, we usedneutralizing antibodies to IL-4. Concentrations of anti-IL-4 antibodiesthat inhibited both the CD23 induction and sIgM up-regulation mediatedby rIL-4 (FIGS. 6A-E) did not inhibit D1.1-mediated B cell CD23expression (Table II). These data demonstrated that IL-4 alone did notaccount for the effect of D1.1 on B cells. Taken together, these resultsstrongly suggested that cell-cell contact and not secreted factorsaccounted for the effects of D1.1 on B cell activation.

To substantiate the idea that cell-cell contact mediated the D1.1 effecton B cells, we fixed Jurkat D1.1 and control, B2.7 cells with 1%paraformaldehyde. Although paraformaldehyde fixation decreased thepotency of Jurkat D1.1 to activate B cells, fixed D1.1 cells remainedcompetent to induce B cell CD23 expression whereas, fixed B2.7 cells didnot alter CD23 expression from the background level. At a ratio of 5:1fixed D1.1 cells:B cells, 63% of B cells were induced to express CD23 ascompared with 80% for unfixed D1.1 cells. Taken together, these datasuggest that that surface structures on Jurkat D1.1 are sufficient toinduce B cell activation.

Example 3

Characterization of Cell Surface Proteins on Activated CD4⁺ T Cells thatMediate Helper Effector Function

In order to characterize cell surface proteins on activated CD4⁺ T cellsthat mediate helper effector function, mice were immunized with the D1.1clone of Jurkat that possess contact dependent helper effector function.Monoclonal antibodies (mAb) are generated and hybridoma supernatants arescreened for differential binding to the D1.1 clone and a non-helperJurkat clone, B2.7.

A murine IgG2a mAb, termed 5c8, was identified that bound specificallyto the surface of D1.1 cells and not to the surface of the non-helper,B2.7 cells (FIGS. 7A-L). The mAb 5c8 did not bind to a variety of othercell lines including: the T cell leukemia lines, CEM, H9, Molt-4 andPeer; the B cell derived cell lines, BA, Raji or Ramos; themyelomonocytic cell line, U937; or the erythroleukemia cell line, K562(see Table 3 below).

TABLE 3 EXPRESSION OF 5c8 Ag ON CELL POPULATIONS AND CELL LINES RestingActivated Cell Lines Jurkat D1.1 + + Jurkat B2.7 − − CEM − − H9 − NDMolt-4 − − PEER − − BA − ND Raji − ND Ramos − ND U937 − − K562 − ND CellPopulations T cells − + B cells − − Monocytes − − These data derive fromFACS analyses of mAb 5c8 binding to the indicated cell lines or cellpopulations. The presence of mAb 5c8 binding was determined relative toFACS staining of appropriate positive and negative control mAbs for eachcell line or population. Nd: Not determined.

To assess whether mAb 5c8 reacts with a molecule that is functionallyrelevant to the helper capacity of the Jurkat clone D1.1, the effect ofmAb 5c8 was studied in assays of D1.1 induced CD23 expression on Bcells. The mAb 5c8 potently inhibited Jurkat D1.1 induced cellactivation (FIGS. 8A-E). In contrast, the isotype control mAb, W6/32 didnot inhibit D1.1 mediated B cell activation. The data presented heresuggest that the 5c8 Ag plays a critical role in the helper effectorfunction of D1.1 cells.

Example 4

Biochemical Characterization of the Antigen Recognized by mAb 5c8

In order to biochemically characterize the antigen recognized by mAb5c8, immunoprecipitations were performed with mAb 5c8 or control mAbsthat recognized Class I MHC (W6/32) or CD28 (Kolt-4) antigens on celllysates of surface iodinated Jurkat D1.1 cells and control, non-helperJurkat B2.7 cells that lack surface mAb 5c8 binding. The mAb 5c8immunoprecipitated a protein that migrated on SDS/PAGE at 30 kDa fromlysates of the helper clone D1.1 but not from the control B2.7 lysates(FIGS. 9A-B)

The protein species immunoprecipitated by mAb 5c8 was not affected byreduction with 2-mercaptoethanol (2-ME) suggesting that the 30 kDa bandwas neither a disulfide linked homodimer nor disulfide linked to anotherprotein that was not accessible to iodination. In contrast, the control,anti-CD28 mAb, KOLT-4 immunoprecipitated (FIGS. 9A-B) an 88 kDa band inthe absence of 2-ME and a 44 kDa band in the presence of 2-ME that isconsistent with published reports (63) and with the interpretation thatthis structure is a disulfide linked homodimer. The control mAb W6/32precipitated a non-disulfide linked heterodimer of 43 and 12 kDa MWproteins (FIGS. 9A-B). These data suggested that the mAb 5c8 recognizeda 30 kDa MW non-disulfide linked protein species from the surface ofD1.1 cells.

Example 5

Characterization of the Expression of 5c8 Ag by Normal Lymphoid Cells

The binding of mAb 5c8 or a variety of control mAb is studied by FACS onfreshly isolated, T and B lymphocytes, monocytes and PMA and PHAstimulated T cells. Although, resting T or B lymphocytes or monocytesdid not express 5c8 Ag (see Table 3 above and FIG. 10), a subset ofactivated T cells was found to express 5c8 Ag, 5 h after activation withPMA and PIIA (FIGS. 10A-L).

To characterize the kinetics and cellular distribution of 5c8 Agexpression, the binding of mAb 5c8 to T cells was studied by FACS atvarious intervals after T cell activation. The CD69 molecule, which is a32/28 KDa disulfide linked heterodimer, was selected as a controlbecause it is known to be induced rapidly on virtually all T cells afterT cell activation (64). Whereas 5c8 was absent from resting T cells andwas expressed on a subset of T cells following activation, in contrast,low level CD69 expression was present on resting T cells and high levelCD69 expression was induced by activation on the entire T cellpopulation (FIGS. 10A-L). The kinetics of expression furtherdistinguished 5c8 Ag from CD69 because mAb 5c8 binding was significant 3h after activation (64) and persisted for over 24 h (FIGS. 11A-F). Thedata presented here distinguish the 5c8 Ag from CD69 both by thecellular distribution of their expression and by the kinetics of theirup-regulation following activation.

To determine if mRNA or protein synthesis is required for 5c8 Agexpression, T cells are stimulated by PMA and PHA in the presence orabsence of Actinomycin D or cycloheximide and the expression of 5c8 andCD69 was compared. The expression of 5c8 was inhibited by eitheractinomycin D or cycloheximide treatment (FIGS. 10A-L). In contrast,CD69 was up-regulated by activation despite the presence of actinomycinD or cycloheximide (FIGS. 11A-F), as has been reported previously (64).These data suggested that the expression of the 5c8 antigen after T cellactivation depends on transcription of mRNA and de novo proteinsynthesis.

Example 6

Characterization of the Subset of T Cells that Express 5c8 Ag AfterActivation

In order to characterize the subset of T cells that expressed 5c8 Agafter activation, CD4⁺CD8⁻ or CD4⁻CD8⁺ T cell populations were isolatedby anti-CD8 or anti-CD4 mAb treatment, respectively, followed bycomplement depletion. The CD4⁺CD8⁻ or CD4⁻CD8⁺ populations wereactivated with PHA and PMA and studied for 5c8 Ag or CD69 expression byFACS. After activation, 5c8 expression was induced exclusively on CD4⁺cells and not on CD8⁺ cells, despite the fact that CD8⁺ cells expressedsimilar levels of CD69 after activation (FIGS. 11A-F). Taken together,these data demonstrated that 5c8 Ag expression is restricted toactivated CD4⁺ cells.

Example 7

Evaluation of the Role of 5c8 Ag in T Helper Function Mediated by NormalT Cells

To evaluate the role of 5c8 Ag in T helper function mediated by normal Tcells, the effect of mAb 5c8 was studied on the ability of activated Tcells to induce small resting B cells to express surface CD23 molecules.T cells were cultured on surfaces that were coated with anti-CD3(OKT3)or control, anti-CD4(OKT4) mAbs in the presence of phorbol dibutyrate(PBD) and then fixed with paraformaldehyde. These fixed T cells werestudied for B cell activating capacity in the presence of soluble mAb5c8 or OKT4. The mAb OKT4 was selected as an isotype matched control inthese experiments because OKT4 reacts with T cell surface CD4 moleculesbut does not inhibit T-B interactions (19). The mAb 5c8, but not OKT4inhibited the ability of activated T cells to induce B cell CD23expression (see Table 4 below)

TABLE 4 EFFECT OF mAb 5C8 TREATMENT ON B CELL SURFACE CD23 INDUCTIONMEDIATED BY PARAFORMALDEHYDE FIXED, ACTIVATED T CELLS. Media mAb 5c8OKT4 No T cells 6.8 ND ND Jurkat D1.1 93.8  9.8 96.1 PDB-activated Tcells 29.8 ND ND PDB/OKT4-activated T cells 26.0 ND NDPDB/OKT3-activated T cells 52.7 30.4 56.1 Shown are the percentages ofIgM⁺ B cells that expressed CD23 by 2-color FACS analysis after B cellswere cultured alone or in the presence of equal number of Jurkat D1.1cells or paraformaldehyde fixed T cells that had been stimulated withPBD alone or in the presence of either immobilized anti-CD3 (OKT3) oranti-CD4(OKT4) mAbs, as indicated. The IgG2a mAbs, 5c8 and OKT4 werepresent at 500 ng/ml # which is twice the concentration of mAb 5c8 thatinhibited 90% of CD23 induction in a parallel dose response experiment.ND: Not determined.

The effect of mAb 5c8 was next compared to that of OKT4 for its abilityto inhibit terminal B cell differentiation driven by normal human Tcells. In these experiments, CD4⁺ T cells were cultured with autologous,column isolated B cells in the presence of PWM and the number of Igsecreting B cell plaque forming colonies (PFCS) was measured by reversehemolytic plaque assay. The mAb 5c8, but not OKT4, inhibited the CD4⁺cell driven PFC response (see Table 5 below). Taken together, these datademonstrated that the 5c8 Ag mediates a contact dependent aspect of thehelper effector function of activated CD4⁺ T cells.

TABLE 5 EFFECT OF mAb 5C8 TREATMENT ON THE INDUCTION OF ANTIBODY FORMINGCELLS T B PFC cells cells PWM mAb Exp.1 Exp.2 Exp.3 B 120 240 600 B PWM240 600 4,800 CD4⁺T 240 120 180 CD4⁺T B 2,580 780 ND CD4⁺T PWM 3,840 24060 CD4⁺T B PWM 149,760 85,200 25,800 CD4⁺T B PWM 5c8 58,000 4,680 9,000CD4⁺T B PWM OKT4 143,520 103,200 30,960 Shown are the results of threeseparate experiments on unrelated donors in which CD4⁺T cells werecultured in a 0.6:1 ratio with autologous, anti-Ig column isolated Bcells in the presence or absence of PWM. The number of plaque formingcolonies (PFC) per 106 B cells was # measured by reverse hemolyticplaque assay. The mAbs 5C8 and OKT4 were present at 500 ng/ml except inexperiment 1, in which OKT4 was present at 1 ug/ml. ND: Not determined.

Discussion

The Jurkat D1.1 clone is functionally distinct from CD4+ Jurkat and froma variety of other leukemic T cell lines in that it induced B cells froma variety of unrelated subjects to express surface CD23 molecules, amarker of B cell activation and to proliferate and terminallydifferentiate into ISC in the presence of T-dependent B cell mitogens.The effect of D1.1 on B cell activation required intimate cellularcontact and could not be accounted for by secreted factors or by IL-4 inparticular. The fact that Jurkat D1.1 was able to induce contactdependent B cell activation and differentiation suggested that JurkatD1.1 shares surface structure(s) with activated T cells that mediate thecontact-dependent, effector phase of help.

The molecular interactions between activated T cells and B cells thatmediate the effector phase of T helper function is complex and poorlyunderstood. To dissect the mechanism of T helper effector function,several studies have measured early events in B cell differentiation.First, B cell synthesis of RNA, DNA and enzymes associated with cellcycle progression are induced by activated but not resting T cells(6,8,9,11,13-18). Second, B cell activation, measured by the inductionof B cell surface CD23, is induced by activated but not resting T cells(13). Third, B cell activation and proliferation can be induced byactivated T cells that have been fixed with paraformaldehyde (13,17).Fourth, B cell proliferation is induced by membrane preparations fromactivated but not resting T cells (9,12,33). Finally, the ability ofactivated T cells or activated T cell membranes to induce B cellactivation or proliferation is abrogated by protease treatment (12,16).Taken together, these observations are consistant with the idea that Tcell activation is associated with the induction of a surface structurethat interacts with B cells and provides a contact dependent signal forB cell activation and proliferation. Similar to activated T cells, butunlike other leukemic cell lines, Jurkat D1.1 had the capacity to induceB cell CD23 expression in a manner that depended on cell-cell contactbut was independent of lymphokines, Ag specificity or MHC restriction.The induction of B cell surface CD23 expression appears to be an earlyor intermediate stage in T-directed B cell differentiation into Igsecreting cells that can be driven by the surfaces of fixed, activated Tcells (13,14). In addition to inducing B cell CD23 expression, JurkatD1.1 was functionally distinct from CD4⁺ Jurkat clones in that D1.1induced terminal B cell differentiation in the presence of PWM. In theserespects, Jurkat D1.1 appears to have acquired surface features that itshares with activated T cells and that stimulate B cells.

The nature of the structure on Jurkat D1.1 that accounts for helperfunction was not identified in the present work. Because CD28 moleculeson T cells bind a B cell ligand (34), it was of particular interest tocompare the expression of CD28 on the helper D1.1 and non-helper B2.7clones. However, the fact that both Jurkat D1.1 and B2.7 expressed CD28molecules demonstrated that CD28 alone, could not account for the uniquefunctional properties of Jurkat D1.1. Moreover, in antibody blockingstudies using mAb specific for CD2, CD3, CD5, CD38, LFA-1a, LFA-1b andLFA-3; we were unable to identify mAbs that inhibited D1.1 mediated Bcell activation (not shown). In order to identify the distinctive cellsurface features of D1.1 that mediate helper effector function, weinitiated an attempt to generate mAbs that react with D1.1 and inhibitD1.1's ability to help B cells.

Although the surface structures that mediate helper function were notidentified, the D1.1 system is instructive with respect to the role ofCD4 molecules in helper effector function. It is curious that a Jurkatsubclone isolated for being CD4− possessed helper function, which isnormally associated with the subset of T cells that express CD4molecules (14,35). Several lines of investigation have suggested thatCD4 molecules do not play a direct role in helper effector function(2,8-12). However, the fact that both TCR and CD4 are known to interactwith MHC Class II molecules (Ia) (36) have suggested that ligation of Iamolecules might be a model for helper effector function. In addition,the observation that ligation of Ia molecules on B cells can signal Bcells has further supported this model (37-39). The fact that JurkatD1.1 had helper function but was CD4− strongly suggests that CD4molecules are not required for the effector phase of helper function. Onthe contrary, the finding that a CD4− clone of Jurkat has acquiredhelper function suggests that CD4 molecules might inhibit the helpereffector function of CD4+ Jurkat cells. In order to directly determinethe relationship between the lack of CD4 molecules on Jurkat D1.1 andits unique helper function, we have generated stable CD4+ transfectantsof D1.1 by electroporation of CD4 cDNA constructs driven by heterologouspromoters. The expression of CD4 did not inhibit the ability of D1.1transfectants to activate B cells, suggesting that D1.1's helperactivity is mediated by surface features other than the lack of CD4molecules.

Recently it has been shown in the murine system that membranepreparations derived from activated, but not resting T lymphocytes aresufficient to induce B cell proliferation but not Ig secretion(9,12,33). The relevance of these studies to the D1.1 system ispresently unclear, but it will be of interest to determine if membranesisolated from D1.1 cells induce B cell CD23 expression, proliferationand terminal differentiation. In any case, it is likely that Jurkat D1.1will be useful for the identification and characterization of surfacemolecules important in mediating contact dependent helper function.

The functionally unique Jurkat leukemic line (D1.1) with constitutive,contact dependent helper function was utilized to generate a murine mAb,designated 5c8, that inhibited D1.1 induced B cell activation. The mAb5c8 recognized a unique protein species on D1.1 cells that was notdisulfide linked and migrated at 30 kDa MW on SDS/PAGE. On normallymphoid cells, the expression of 5c8 Ag was restricted to a subset of Tlymphocytes after activation. The activation induced expression of 5c8Ag on T cells required transcription of mRNA and de novo proteinsynthesis. The 5c8 Ag was found to be transiently expressed on activatedT cells with peak expression at 6 h and loss of expression by 24 h. Theexpression of 5c8 Ag was restricted exclusively to activated CD4+ Tcells. In functional studies on normal T cells, the mAb 5c8 inhibitedthe ability of fixed, activated T cells to induce B cell CD23expression. In addition, mAb 5c8 inhibited the ability of normal T cellsto direct B cell differentiation. Taken together, these data demonstratethat the 5c8 Ag is a novel activation-induced surface protein expressedexclusively on activated CD4+ T cells that is involved in mediating acontact dependent element of T helper function.

The tissue distribution, kinetics of expression, metabolic requirementsfor induction and biochemistry of the 5c8 Ag distinquished the 5c8 Agfrom other known surface proteins induced by T cell activation. First,all other known T cell activation markers (e.g. CD69, CD25, Ia) areexpressed by both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells whereas the 5c8 Ag is expressedexclusively by CD4+ T cells. Second, the kinetics of 5c8 Ag expressionfollowing T cell activation were distinct from that of other T cellactivation molecules. Whereas 5c8 Ag was maximally expressed 6 h afteractivation and absent 24 h after activation, CD25 (66), Ia (67,68) andthe 32 kD form of CD27 (69) are induced 18 h or more after activation.In addition, CD69 is expressed more rapidly than 5c8 Ag and (unlike 5c8Ag) persists for over 24 h. Third, 5c8 Ag was distinguished from CD69 bythe metabolic requirements of their induction, because induction of 5c8Ag but not CD69 expression depended on mRNA transcription and proteinsynthesis. Fourth, the 5c8 Ag was a 30 kD, non-disulfide linked species.In contrast, the early activation molecule, CD69 is a 28/32 kD disulfidelinked heterodimer (65). Taken together, these data suggest that the 5c8Ag was distinct from other known T cell activation molecules.

The 5c8 Ag was also distinguished from other T cell surface moleculesthat are known to play roles in T-B interactions by several aspects oftheir tissue distribution and biochemistry. First, 5c8 Ag was induced byT cell activation but was not expressed on resting cells. In contrast,CD4, CD2, CD5, CD28, LFA-1, ICAM-1, CD45RO and 6C2, which interact withB cell surface ligands (70-78) are expressed on resting T cells (77-82).Second, the specific expression of 5c8 Ag on activated T lymphocytes andnot on B cells, monocytes or the panel of cell lines (Table 1.)distinguished 5c8 Ag from ICAM-1, CD4, CD5, LFA-1, CD2 and 6C2 moleculeswhich are also expressed on either monocytes, B cells or certain of thecell lines (not shown). Third, the expression of 5c8 Ag was restrictedto CD4⁺ T cells whereas CD2, CD5, CD28, LFA-1, ICAM-1, CD45RO and 6C2are expressed on CD8+ as well as CD4+ cells (77-82). Fourth, the 30 kDprotein precipitated by mAb 5c8 is unlike any of these other proteins(77-82). Finally, 5c8 Ag was distinct from these other molecules becausethe mAb 5c8 was identified by its ability to inhibit the helper effectorfunction mediated by Jurkat D1.1.

Because the mAb 5c8 inhibits the contact dependent helper effects ofJurkat D1.1 and fixed, activated T lymphocytes, it is likely that the5c8 Ag mediates a B cell activating function by interacting with aligand (or “counter-receptor”) on the surfaces of B cells. Theinteraction of 5c8 Ag with a B cell counter receptor may mediate helperfunction either by providing additional adhesive forces to T-B pairs,transducing a stimulatory signal to B cell cytoplasms or by acombination of these mechanisms. Regardless of the precise mechanism,the transient expression of 5c8 Ag may provide a molecular solution tolimiting non-specific B cell activation. We envision that the transientexpression of 5c8 Ag in the localized milieu of antigen specific cognateT-B pairs may channel the antigen/MHC unrestricted activating functionof 5c8 Ag to appropriate B cell targets. The kinetics of expression anddown-regulation of 5c8 Ag are shared by the endothelial cell, activationinduced, cell surface mediator of leukocyte and lymphocyte binding,ELAM-1 (83). This similarity might indicate that the strategy ofutilizing transient expression to effect localized intercellularinteractions may be shared by 5c8 Ag, ELAM-1 and potentially other, yetuncharacterized, surface molecules that transmit potent signals to othercells by direct contact.

The CD4 molecule identifies the population of T cells that containsprecursors of T cells with helper function (4). However, the CD4+ subsetis functionally heterogeneous and contains cytotoxic and suppressorcells in addition to helper cells (84,85). The fact that 5c8 Ag isinvolved in helper function suggests that 5c8 Ag may correlate moreclosely with the helper phenotype than CD4 expression. The heterogeneousdistribution of 5c8 expression on activated CD4+ cells suggests thatfunctional subsets of CD4+ T cells might be distinguished by their levelof 5c8 expression. For example, it will be of interest to determine thefunctional potential of 5c8− and 5c8+ CD4+ T cells with respect tohelper or cytotoxic activity.

T cell helper effector function is a complex process resulting in B cellresponsiveness (22,54-56), regulation of isotype switching (86) andsomatic hypermutation (87). The fact that T cells interact with B cellsby a number of cell-cell interactions as well as by secreting variouslymphokines suggests that individual signals or certain combinations ofsignals may regulate specific aspects of B cell differentiation. Thefact that the mAb 5c8 inhibits a contact dependent aspect of T cellhelper function provides a means of further dissecting the processes bywhich CD4⁺ T cells regulate the humoral immune response.

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What is claimed is:
 1. A protein free of cell membranes and othercellular components, wherein said protein is capable of being expressedby activated T cells and/or the Jurkat D1.1 cell line having ATCCAccession No. CRL 10915 and is specifically recognized by an antibodythat specifically binds an epitope that is specifically bound bymonoclonal antibody 5c8 produced by the hybridoma having ATCC AccessionNo. HB
 10916. 2. A protein that is a fragment of a protein specificallyrecognized by monoclonal antibody 5c8 produced by the hybridoma havingATCC Accession No. HB 10916, wherein said protein specificallyrecognized by monoclonal antibody 5c8 is capable of being expressed byactivated T cells and/or the Jurkat D1.1 cell line having ATCC AccessionNo. CRL 10915 and wherein said fragment is free of cell membranes andother cellular components, comprises an epitope that is specificallybound by monoclonal antibody 5c8 produced by the hybridoma having ATCCAccession No. HB 10916, and is capable of inducing activation of Bcells.
 3. A protein free of cell membranes and other cellularcomponents, said protein consisting essentially of an epitope that isspecifically bound by monoclonal antibody 5c8 produced by the hybridomahaving ATCC Accession No. HB 10916 and being capable of inducingactivation of B cells.
 4. A labeled protein comprising a proteinaccording to any one of claims 1, 2 and 3, wherein said protein islabeled with a detectable marker.
 5. The labeled protein according toclaim 4, wherein the detectable marker is a radioactive isotope, enzyme,dye or biotin.
 6. A composition comprising the protein according to anyone of claims 1, 2 and 3 and a carrier.